Sheldon ends TT Cup rookie season on a positive note

SHELDON van der Linde ended his Audi Sport TT Cup rookie season on a positive note when he turned a dfficult qualifying around to come back fighting and score third and fourth places in the two races of the Hockenheimring on Saturday and Sunday. He ended second in the Rookie championship and fourth overall for the year.

“Overall I enjoyed a great debut year,” admitted the South African teenager. “We won four races, had a few pole positions and fastest laps and I think we can be pretty proud of that.

“Congratulations to overall champion Joonas Lapalainen – he drove a consistent season and finished every race in the points. Also well done to my Sheldon, second in Rookies’ Cup. main sparring partner Dennis Marschall who ended second in the championship and to Rookie champion Nicklas Nielsen – I never had an answer to him this weekend.”

The Hockenheim weekend proved challenging for Van der Linde from the outset, with a dissapointing qualifying, but in Saturday’s race he fought back from ninth to third.

He also progressed well early on in the second race but ended fourth behind Dennis, Nicklas and Joonas.

“Now I’m looking forward to coming back stronger then ever next year – bring it on!”

South African motoring journalist, this newspaper’s very own Jesse Adams, acquitted himself well in the guest class of the Audi Sport TT Cup finale. Adams was 13th overall and second in the guest class in race one, while a spin late in race two dropped him down to 15th place and off the guest driver podium.